Monday, August 11, 2014

After sitting out his rookie season to rehabilitate a significant knee injury, Baltimore Ravens defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore was anticipating every aspect of his return to football. But his comeback, and the Ravens’ depth at defensive line, took a brutal hit Sunday when Lewis-Moore was carted off the field with what appears to be a torn left Achilles tendon.
Jason La Canfora first broke the news on Twitter:

John Harbaugh says it's a minor ankle injury for Asa Jackson but appears to be a season-ending Achilles for Kapron. Tough break there
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) August 10, 2014

If early indications are correct, Lewis-Moore will become the second Ravens defensive end to suffer a season-ending injury in training camp, as rookie fourth-round pick Brent Urban tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee July 30th.

Jeffrey Beall via Wikimedia Commons

Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media after Sunday's practice:

Kapron Lewis-Moore had a major injury. All indications are that it's an Achilles, so he'll probably be out. We’ll see, but that's what I've been told so far. That was really disappointing for a guy that had the ACL last year. It's going to be tough for him. We’ll rally around him, and he'll be back stronger than ever next year.

Lewis-Moore, the former Notre Dame star saw snaps with the starters in offseason and training-camp practices. He was expected to play a big role in the defensive line rotation this upcoming season. Instead, the 2013 sixth-round draft pick will miss a second consecutive season after a torn ACL sidelined him as a rookie.

Lewis-Moore, was injured as he rushed the passer, sobbed loudly while he was loaded onto the cart and taken inside the team facility. The injury cast a somber mood on the second day of joint practices between the Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Players from both teams, along with 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, took a knee in prayer as Lewis-Moore was being tended to on the field.

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith spoke on how painful the injury seemed to be:

The way he went down, you knew. You never heard a man scream that way. You knew something was wrong. It's kind of tough to even speak about it because of what he went through last year, coming back and making headlines now of being a significant piece of what we've got going on. And then to have it give out on a simple play like that, it's really unfortunate, but the team is going to stay behind him. Hopefully, he makes a speedy recovery.

Lewis-Moore is only 24 years old and has plenty of football left in him. With two season-ending injuries in two consecutive years during training camp, hopefully his spirit hasn't been broken. With the Baltimore Ravens rallying around him, one can only hope that he will heal and be right back on the football field as soon as physically possible.